Wonderful trip to the Cloud and Rain Forests of Costa Rica.

Costa Rica | Jan 24 - Jan 31, 2026

I've travelled to other Central and Latin American countries, and Costa Rica was by far the easiest and friendliest. All the moving parts of the trip that kim kim set up worked smoothly (except one that was quickly fixed).

Ride CR transportation was prompt, friendly and scenic. The drivers gave us multiple rest stop opportunities that we usually didn't take, and also pointed out sights and scenic/photo opportunities that we did take. The best ride was between Monteverde and Arenal on a somewhat stormy day that made for great views passing over the mountains and across the lake. The hugely time saving and beautiful option to cross the lake instead of driving around it was brilliant!

Accommodations at the Cloud Forest Lodge and the Arenal Manoa were comfortable and convenient in a way that was very appropriate for the location. Very friendly and helpful staff certainly helps, but the addition of monkeys and toucans in the trees around the hotels was a wonderful surprise. Our favorite moment in Arenal was when the woman checking us in asked if there was anything more she could do, and we jokingly said we were really hoping to see a sloth. She turned to a young staff member nearby and said "Kevin, can you please show them the sloth", so he walked us across the parking lot, gave us his binoculars, and pointed to the sloth moving through the tree twenty feet away. We also especially enjoyed the trails available at the Lodge in Monteverde. Both places had good restaurants with amazing views and plenty of dining options that highlighted Costa Rica (but also played American/British instrumental pop music covers, aka elevator music, that was distractingly un-Costa Rican). It wasn't on the itinerary, but the San Lucas Treetop Dining Experience in Monteverde was one of the most enjoyable meals we've ever had.

All of the guides were knowledgable and excited about their work, balancing detailed wildlife information with local history and culture. Surprisingly consistent considering there is no formal training. The guide at the Hanging Bridges in Arenal was pretty quiet, but that was a much more commercial venue and it was pouring rain most of the time. If we were doing it all again, we would ask for longer tours. Our last day there, the tour company had our reservation, but didn't put us on their operations schedule, so no one picked us up. Since everyone else had been so prompt, I called after about 10 minutes, and they quickly got a driver and guide out to us and added a trip to some nice hot springs to the tour. The important thing was the guide offered us the option to take a much longer trail than normal, and that was a more thorough and satisfying experience.

We certainly enjoyed the lower stress and workload of having kim kim take care of all the arrangements. We're looking forward to using your service again, especially for trips like this where the area is unfamiliar and there are a lot of moving parts. Thanks!